Parents and Families

Interfraternity Institute Gives Students Opportunities to Lead

For many alums who are now parents of current students, joining a Greek organization at U-M made you members of a special community for life. This sense of loyalty often extends outside of the individual chapter to the larger Greek community, especially if you held a leadership position within that larger community.

U-M has one of the oldest, largest and strongest Greek communities in the nation, with many opportunities for friendship, scholastic support, leadership and service. Although a significant part of your student’s education will occur outside of the classroom, Greek life and programs that U-M offers can be a positive force that makes college life not only more enjoyable, but more enriching.

The Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (UIFI) brings together fraternity and sorority members from across North America for five days each year. It offers opportunities to for Greek students to further their leadership skills and personal growth as well as enhance their commitment to their fraternity or sorority, and to the Greek Community. UIFI is a holistic experience that helps Greek men and women learn how to live ethically, become thoughtful leaders, and to connect with one another in a way that fosters progressive change within the Greek Community.

Program highlights include:

The Great Greek Debate, which invites students to debate the benefits and detriments of Greek life on campus. After the debate, students debrief and discuss their reactions and reflections.

Our Call to Serve takes participants into the community for a service project through which they can reconnect with the service-based values that all fraternities and sororities have in common. Students participate in a service project and discuss what makes service worthwhile, as well as ways to get their organizations more involved in the community.

The Action Plan allows students to think about the difficulties their organizations face, the causes of those problems and what concrete steps they can take to resolve the issues. The exercise asks students to recognize how their actions have contributed to these difficulties and to set goals to improve their organization.

How can you help the Office of Greek Life bring this interactive, challenging and inspiring program to campus? The cost of hosting UIFI on campus is close to $50,000. U-M seeks your support for this powerful program that will help transform the lives of Greek students, not just on U-M's campus but across the country.

Please consider making a generous contribution online or contact Sonia Gill, Assistant Director of Development, by email or at 734-615-4379 for more information.